RALEIGH, N.C. – The NC State women’s soccer team plays its final road match of the season Thursday night, taking on Duke. The Wolfpack and Blue Devils will kick off at 7 p.m. from Koskinen Stadium in Durham.

INCREASING THE PRESSUREOver the past three matches, NC State has combined to record 38 total shots for an average of 12.7 per game. The Pack tied a season high with 15 against Clemson on Oct. 13 and then recorded a new season high with 16 against Syracuse on Oct. 20.

THE DIFFERENCE IS KEYIn the midst of a challenging conference schedule, the NC State women’s soccer team has still managed to see notable improvement. With two matches to play in 2013, the Wolfpack has scored just one less goal than last season while giving up 11 fewer goals.

LOGGING THE MINUTESFreshman forward Rachel Cox has seen an increase in her playing time over the course of the Wolfpack’s last four matches. The native of Greensboro played 37 minutes at No. 4 North Carolina on Oct. 10, 21 minutes against Clemson on Oct. 13, a career-high mark of 60 minutes on Oct. 17 vs. top-ranked Virginia, and 43 minutes in an Oct. 20 match vs. Syracuse.

PACK DELIVERED TO YOUNC State matches have been broadcast on television and through online streaming an unprecedented number of times in 2013. State’s Oct. 20 match against Syracuse marked the eighth time that a Pack match has been broadcast to a national audience in 2013. This broke the prior mark of seven televised contests set in 2012.

QUALITY OPPOSITIONNC State’s losses in 2013 have come against very difficult opposition. The teams which have defeated the Wolfpack this season have combined to accumulate a 115-45-15 record. Two of these teams are still undefeated (No. 3 Florida State and No. 1 Virginia).

MAKING THEM COUNTWhen NC State lines up a shot, chances are it is going to be on target. Nearly 51 percent of the Wolfpack’s shots have resulted in goals or saves this season, compared to just 42.6 percent for its opponents.

STEADY SOLDATHeading into Thursday’s match at Duke, senior defender Randi Soldat has appeared in 69 matches, the most of any active Wolfpack student-athlete. Soldat, an electrical engineering major, has played in 1,489 of a possible 1,550 minutes in 2013. No player has spent more time on the field this season.

SCOUTING THE BLUE DEVILS-Duke enters Thursday’s match the owner of a 6-6-4 record which includes a 3-4-3 mark in ACC play. The Blue Devils currently sit ninth in the ACC standings -The Blue Devils most recently defeated No. 9 Notre Dame in double overtime, earning a 2-1 win on the road in South Bend, Indiana -Duke has enjoyed a very balanced scoring effort in 2013, as seven different student-athletes have found the back of the net. Laura Weinberg and Kelly Cobb are tied for the team lead with four goals apiece

NC STATE - DUKE SERIES HISTORY-Thursday’s match will serve as the 30th all-time meeting between NC State and Duke -Duke holds an 18-10-1 advantage in the all-time series -NC State last defeated Duke on Oct. 17 of the 2000 season, beating the Blue Devils by a score of 3-1 in Durham